Means for loading and hauling automobiles



Se t. 27 192 p 7 c. D. GILL- MEANS FOR LOADING AND HAULING AUTOMOBILES Filed Dec. 24, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet l I 1,643,885 Sept. 27, 1927. C D GILL MEANS FOR LOADING AND HAULING AUTOMOBILES Filed Dec. 24. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 and cleaning of Patented S ept. 27, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

crmnca n. GILL, or rnnn'ron, NEW JERSEY.

MEANS FOB LOADING ,AND HAULING AUTDIO BILES.

Application Med December 24, 1926. Serial No. 158,948,

My invention relates to apparatus designed es ecially for transporting new automobiles roml factory or -freight 'depot to sales agencies, remote a 'freightdepot.

The usual practice of delivery is to assign a driver to each automobile and run the car under its own power or in tow from the depot to the agency, thus requiring numerous employees and necessitating the washing the new cars when they ar; rive at the agency, after road travel.

By the use of my .forwarding apparatus, which comprises a truck and trailer of special construction, a single driver can load,

transport and dehver four cars on each trip from the .depot and the cars do not require washing after they are received.

' Fig. 1 illustrates mv forwarding apparatus, in side elevation, ully loaded and ready for moving; Fig. 2 illustrates the apparatus partially loaded;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the apparatus without being loaded;

Fig. 4is a view similar to Fig. 3, illustrating the apparatus as making a turn;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged side elevation of the connection between truck and trailer;

Fig; 6 is a transverse elevation. artly in section of the connection illustrated in Fig. 5, taken on the line 6-6, Fig. 1, and

Figs. 7 and 8 are detailsof the invention.

My improved forwarding apparatus comprises a truck 1 and a connected at 3, comprising an articulated conveyance capable of holding four automobiles a, b, 0 and d. I

The'truck l-comprisesthe usual chassis having a frame 5, rear drive wheels 6, 6, and

front steering wheels in the usual manner.

vide a drivers cab 8 7 7, spring suspende 6n the frame 5 I proof any substantial construction, adjacent each side and the top 9 of which I mount a rail, comprising a channel beam 10 in the resent instance- The channel eams 10, 10 are-secured to the cab 8 through'the medium of angle beams 11 and 12, an lto the forward end of the frame 5 by means of structural iron brace members 13, 13. The forward end of each rail beam 10 is provided with a boot 14,

.' transversely connected by a bar 15.

- Adjacent the rear of the frame 5, the truck chassis is providedv with a super-structure comprising longitudinal plates 16,16 suit-.

from the factory or trailer 2 universally trailer are maneuvered rails 10, 10 and extending forward over the rear wheels 6, thence dropping on a fair incline 18 to a point below the top of the frame 5, on the top of the foot board 19 of the chassis, whereby a pocket 20 is formedin each of the rails 17.

Under the rear end of and ali ned with the side beams 21 of the chassis rame 5 provide rearwardly extending beams 22,. 22 which are connected by transverse bars'23, 23 onwhich, and centrally disposed relative to the chassis, is a platform 24, for the support of a king pin 25. The beams 16, 21 and 22 are tied together-by plates each side of the chassis.

The trailer 2 comprises longitudinal 26 suitablyconnected y transverse beams 27, 27 which also function to support rail beams 28, 28. 26 are suitably connected by springs 29 to an axle on whichis rotatably mounted the trailer wheels 30, 30. a

On the underside of each of the stringers 26, 26 I provide a guideway 31, for a crosshe'ad 32 and mount intermediate the cross-head and the adjacent end of the guideway a buffer spring 33.

Rotatably mounted on the a cross beam 35 havin bearings 36, 36 secured to each of its en s. 36 occupy positions intermediate the crossheads 32, 32, and a horizontal pivot bolt 37 stringers 26,

asses throi iglh the said cross-heads and said (1 25 of. the connection 3.

For the purpose of loading, the truck and into conti ous alignment (see Figs. 2 and 3) and ski 38, 39 and 40 are placed respectively from the ground to the rear ends of the trailer rails 28, 28; from the front ;-'f ends .of said trailer railsj28 tothe rear ends of the truck rails 17 17; and from the rear ends of the truck rails 10 10 to a point on the rails 17, 17 rearward o' the incline 18' thereof.

An automobile a is run over the rails 10, and front wheels of the car rest in 34, 34 one at.

king bolt 2513;

The bearings 36,

The stringers 26,

each end of the skids 38, rails 28, skids 39,'rails 17 and skids 40onto forward thereon nntilthe 7 no the boots 14. i i

A block 41 is. secured behind the rear wheels it A (Fig. 8) adapted to y of permitting the forwarding of the car, the car put"in emergency brake set.

The skids l0 are now removed for the purpose of loading car Z) which travels the same route until it reaches the incline 18 of the rails 17 whereupon its nose dips until its front wheels rest in the pockets 20 of the rails 17. Car 6 is then put in gear and its brake"set.

The skids 39 are then removed and car 0 run onto the trailer rails26 until the front wheels rest against a block 42 and the back wheels rest between blocks 43 and 4A, the car is put in gear and the brake set.

Car d is then loaded with its front wheels resting between blocks ld'and id and its rear wheels resting betweenbloclrs 47 and 48; the car is put in gear, the brake set, the skids 38 removed and the forwarding apgear and the paratus is ready to move.

The blocks 41, d2, 43, dd, 4:5, 46, a? and 48 are preferably secured permanently in lace, but may be removable if desired. lad. of the skids provided with a lip 49 hook over a rod 59 on the ends of the rails, whereby the skids are conveniently removable from the rails.

On the beams 21 ot' the chassis frame 5,

) I provide hook members 51 (Figs. 2 and 7 which are adapted to engage the front axle of car 6 and prevent its being run against the backof the drivers cab 8 when loading. The axle of the car rests on wear plates 52 secured to the chassis members 21, 21 and relieves the rails 20, 20 from the support of the entire weight of the car 5. y I

lit will be noted that the connection 3 is disposed intermediate the truck rear wheels 6 and the trailer wheels 3O for the purpose apparatus to turn sharp corners (see Fig. 4.-

@bviously more or less than four cars couldbe carried without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. An automobile forwarding apparatus, comprising an elongated conveyance having contiguously aligned rails thereon and being articulated intermediate its respective ends, the portion at one side of said articulation comprising a power driven unit and the portion at the other side of said articulation being a trailer unit.

2. [an automobile forwarding apparatus comprising an elongated conveyance having contiguously aligned rails thereon and being articulated intermediate its respective ends, the portion at one side of said articulation comprising a power driven unit and the portion atthe other side of said articulation being a trailer unit; and means for securing a plurality of automobiles on said rails for transportation.

3. An apparatus for loading and transporting a plurality of automobiles by a porting a plurality neaaeaa carrying rails mounted on said truck; a a

trailer operativcly connected to said truck; and carrying rails on said trailer adapted to be aligned with the carryingrails on said truck, for loading said automobiles.

4. An apparatus for loading and trans of automobiles by a. single operator; comprising a power truck; carrying rails mounted on said truck; a trailer operatively connected to said truck; carrying rails on said trailer adapted tobe aligned with the carrying rails on said truck,

for loading saidautomobiles; and means for preventing movement of the automobiles on the rails during transportation. b

5. An apparatus for loading and transporting a plurality of automobiles by a single operator; comprising a power truck; carrying rails mounted on said truck; a-

trailer operatively connected to said truck; a

carrying rails on said trailer adapted: to be aligned with the carrying rails on said truck, for loading said automobiles; pockets formed in the rails of said truck; and. stops on said rails, for preventing tween the cars and the rails portation.

6. An; an aratus for loadin and transiP g porting a plurality of automobiles by a single operator; comprising a power truck; carrying trailer operatively connected to said truck; carrying rails on said trailer adapted to be aligned with the carrying rails on said truck; and skids adapted to be placed intermediate said rails and intermediate said rails and the ground, for loading said cars.

11 apparatus for loading and transporting a plurality of automobiles by a single operator; comprising a power truck; carrying rails mounted on said truck; a trailer; carrying rails on said trailer adapted to be aligned with the carrying rails on said truck; front and rear wheels on said truck; wheels on said trailer; and a pivotal coupling between said truck and said trailer intermediate the rear wheels of the truck and the wheels of the trailer. I

8. An apparatus for loading and transporting a plurality of automobiles by a single operator; comprising a power truck; carrying rails mounted on said truck; a trailer; carrying rails on said trailer adapted to be aligned with the carrying rails on said truck; front and rear wheels on said truck; wheels on said trailer; and a pivotal coupling between said truck and said trailer intermediate the rear Wheels of the truck and the wheels of the trailer, including bufi'er mechanism permitting a limited relative longitudinal truck and said'trailer.

9. An apparatus for loading and transportingv a plurality of automobiles by a relative movement beduring transrails mounted on said truck; a'

movement between said a power truckstifle operator; comprisinfi a means on sea river s cab on said true truck adapted to carry a car above said drivers cab; and means on sa'd truck for carrying a car to the rear of said drivers cab.

- 10. An apparatus for loading and transporting a plurality of automobiles by a single operator; com rising a power truck true d a drivers cab on sai means on sai truck adapted to carry a car above said drivers cab; means on said truck for carrying a car to the rear of said. drivers cab;

and means for arresting the cars in their 5 forward movement on said truck,

11. An apparatus for loading and transporting a plurality of automobiles by a sin le operator; com risin a power truck; a 'vers cab on sai truc ;car rails at each side of said cab adjacent t e top thereof; carrying rails on said truck to the rear of said cab extending above the truck rear wheels and, having a downwardly extending incline interme late, said rear wheels and the back of said cab, forming pockets in said rear carrying rails.

12. An apparatus for loading and transporting a plurality of automobiles by asingle operator; com risin a power truck; a drivers cab on sai truc carrying rails at each side of said cab adjamentthe top thereof; and boots formed on the forward ends of said rails.

' CLARENCE D. GILL. 

